CouveCast episode 12 America 250

Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary with the Historic Trust on July 3rd in Vancouver. President and CEO of the Historic Trust, Temple Lentz joins me to talk about a day full of activities at the parade grounds. 

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Welcome to CouveCast, the City of Vancouver's official podcast, hosted by Steve Harris. Each episode is a mix of city insights, stories, behind the scenes, and hopefully a few laughs along the way. No jargon, just real talk with the people shaping Vancouver's future. One episode at a time.

Steve 0:19

Welcome to CouveCast, the City of Vancouver's official podcast. I'm your host, Steve Harris, and today we will be talking with Temple Lentz, president, CEO of the Historic Trust. And she is here to talk about events happening here in Vancouver to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Temple, thanks for joining us.

Temple 0:37

Thanks for having me. Glad to be here.

Speaker 2 0:38

Can you believe it?

Temple 0:39

No, and I haven't seen most of them myself, but it's really exciting to be here for this one.

Steve 0:45

Okay, well, let's get right into it. Uh it sounds like it's shaping out to be a full day at the Ford, and and what better place to celebrate America's anniversary with such history there? What is the date first off and who's sponsoring this event?

Temple 0:58

Yeah, so we're celebrating America 250 on July 3rd this year. And I know that that the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence should be on July 4th. But uh July 3rd is the day that everybody has off from work.

Steve 1:14

Well, and some people probably have might have plans on the fourth. Exactly. I mean, there are some areas in the county that fireworks are still legal. Um probably shouldn't mention that with the Historic Trust, but but on a personal uh note.

Temple 1:27

Absolutely. And it's a way for us to have an event that goes all day where a lot of folks are going to be able to come. Maybe it doesn't conflict with other family activities on the fourth. So uh we're calling it, you know, America 250. It's the uh it's July 3rd. It's at the parade ground on the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Steve 1:48

Which is a great, if you haven't been, it's a great place. I mean, there's so much stuff to see down there anyways.

Temple 1:52

Yeah, no, there's so much to see. And one of the things that we're excited about is we're gonna have a lot of it open uh on the day of the event. So you can see a lot. You asked about partners, and we've got um a great group of partners. It's not just the trust putting this on. We're in partnership with the city. Okay. And so thank you. I heard about that. And uh we also have the Park Service, the National Park Service working with us. Of course, yes. So it's gonna be an entire site full of activity all day.

Speaker 2 2:18

It sounds awesome. Um all kinds of activities to check out, people in historic uh costumes uh for this. And I heard something about a pet costume contest. Yes. Tell us about that a little bit. So first of all, are you do you have a pet that's gonna be entered?

Speaker 1 2:36

So uh my cat won't allow me to put cute little hats on him, which we're still working on, but uh yeah, so he's staying home. Okay. But uh yeah, we're starting off events. So it the events begin at noon on the third. And uh one of the first activities we're going to have is a pet costume contest. So uh entries open at noon, so folks can come when the when the whole event opens and get signed up. There's no advanced sign up. Yeah, but day of, just come on down with your costumed pet and uh and then at 12:45 we'll start the costume contest.

Speaker 2 3:10

And is there some sort of like a prize for the winner or how we're being sort of secretive about that?

Speaker 1 3:15

Well, no, we're gonna have three award categories. Okay. Uh and uh do want to be clear, the mayor of Vancouver is our judge. Oh, okay. So uh she is going to um help us determine who gets to win uh most creative, most patriotic, and then there is a mayor's choice award. Okay. So if you, you know, if you and your dog happen to know the Mayor, maybe you know how to get in on that Mayor's choice. But um, yeah, so we're gonna have those three categories that everybody does win an award, and uh, we do have some gift cards for prizes. So there's incentive.

Speaker 2 3:51

Excellent.

Speaker 1 3:51

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 3:52

Well, it sounds pretty exciting. So bring your pets, get them entered.

Speaker 1 3:55

Yes, and so basically, and we're saying pets. I know it'll probably be mostly dogs, but if you have a leashed pet it needs to be on a leash. Those snakes are out. If your snake can wear a leash, you know, it's fine, you know.

Speaker 2 4:07

That would be a neat trick.

Speaker 1 4:08

I don't know if it might slip right off, but you know.

Speaker 2 4:12

But cats, some cats are willing to more than others, but yeah.

Speaker 1 4:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2 4:17

Okay, fair. Uh even a turtle that would qualify if it'll wear a leash.

Speaker 1 4:21

It might wear a little leash. It might. Yeah.

Speaker 2 4:24

Armadillos are probably out. Um so uh out of the things that I want to check out that I heard something about is the historic weap uh weapons display.

Speaker 1 4:37

Yeah.

Speaker 2 4:38

What can you tell me about that? Because as soon as I heard that, I was like, wait, what?

Speaker 1 4:41

So that is something that the Park Service is putting on. Okay. And they do this periodically, and it's really cool. So they have a number of different kinds of historic weapons, and they call it like a black powder demonstration.

Speaker 2 4:52

So cannons, maybe.

Speaker 1 4:54

Um I think they have some cannons, they have like muskets, yeah. Um but they show all of these historic weapons and then they um they fire them off. Oh, they do. Okay. Yeah, they're just gonna ask that. It's blanks or black powder, uh, which uh so you know everybody's stays at a at a safe distance, but we're not firing real ammunition. Right. And it's it's going to be down closer to the the reconstructed fort. So that's something um to just talk about like what Park Service is doing all day. They're going to have uh Pearson Air Museum and the Reconstructed Fort and the Visitor Center all open on both the third and the fourth and free. So free admission on those days. So you can just go in, check it out. And so down near the fort, they're gonna be doing these weapons demos and they're gonna be doing a few during the course of the day. Okay. Uh I don't have their schedule yet. It's been kind of in motion, but it'll be posted.

Speaker 2 5:46

Fun. Sounds really fun. Yeah. So besides the the schedule of activities going on, uh tours of multiple places you can check out that are open as well.

Speaker 1 5:54

Yeah, so we're gonna have the Marshall House open uh for tours, and that's something that we normally have open uh Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays. We have tours during the day, and those tours are free. Uh, but we're gonna have it open for the entirety of this event on Friday the third. So actually, no, we're not we're not gonna be open all the way into the evening when the movie's showing. Let me take a look at our schedule here. Um I believe it's maybe like 10 to 3. Okay. Something like that. But you can just come by the Marshall House. We'll have our volunteer docents uh able to give tours. So uh for folks who are down on the site and maybe want to take a break and go inside for a little bit or just see something different, can pop in and get a tour and see one of our premier historic uh buildings uh with a great story that's here in Vancouver.

Speaker 2 6:41

I've been on a couple of those tours. They are really interesting and some great great facts too. Yeah. Uh so folks that are gonna spend the day down there or plan on spending most of the day down there. There's a lot of food trucks. I mean, there's places to eat.

Speaker 1 6:56

Yeah, so we're gonna have food trucks there so you can pick and choose, have lots of lots of selection. Uh, like I said, things start at noon uh and then it goes until about 11 p.m. Okay. So if you want to come down for if you want to set up camp for the whole day, that's great. If you want to come for parts, uh, but we'll have the food trucks starting there at the very beginning. Like I said, the the fort will be open, Marshall House will have tours, Pearson Air Museum will be open, the visitor center, and then on the site we've got a stage and we have acts on the stage throughout the entire day. Oh, nice. Yeah. So we have um we're starting with uh the mayor's gonna give us some opening remarks, and then right after that, I'm I'm happy about this one. We have a couple of elders from NIA, the Native American uh organization. And they're going to do some uh Native American drum songs and give an opening ceremony and blessing to the entire event. So um we're really happy to have them join us. Uh, and especially because we are celebrating America 250. It's uh, you know, the acknowledgement of that tension. Uh, we're really proud of America's founding, and we should be. Yeah. Uh there's a really fantastic story there. And one of the ways that we can strengthen as we move forward is also acknowledging the tension and some of the difficulties in that founding and expansion. And here in Vancouver, we were a big part of that expansion. Right. Uh and there were some um, you know, I'll keep it diplomatic and just say tensions, uh that we're still working on healing from as a as a nation that does include everyone. Yes. So I'm really happy that they're joining us and that we're able to mark that.

Speaker 2 8:38

Yeah. Um uh we should probably and so the it's not it's a nice day of activities and a day that shouldn't be just about fireworks. So bringing that up, there won't be any fireworks.

Speaker 1 8:54

There will not be any fireworks at the historic site. And there really haven't been since probably I think it was like 19 or not 19, uh 2018, I think was the last time maybe there were fireworks. I didn't work with the trust at that time, so I uh it might have been. It's been a long time since we've had fireworks down there. And while I know, I mean, people who grew up here grew up going to that. Uh and I loved it when we had it. It's just turned out, I mean, Vancouver has gotten so big. And the city, the trust, and the park service came to the decision that we just we can't accommodate that many people on the site all crushed together in the dark. It's a it's a public safety risk. Yeah. And then, you know, especially as fire risk continues to increase and grow every single year. Yes. This is one of our most important historically.

Speaker 2 9:44

Wildfires and the like. Yeah.

Speaker 1 9:45

Yeah. The building is made of wood. The buildings are made of wood. So we also want to take seriously our job of preserving and protecting. But I'm happy there are other fireworks activities around the county, around the region. So if that is what you want, you can still get it.

Speaker 2 10:00

Okay. But in lieu of fireworks, there is an activity plan for the evening.

Speaker 1 10:05

Yeah. So uh, like I said, this is partnership with the city. So the city's um movies in the park are a really popular program. Yeah. And so we're doing one on the parade ground, which is a great place to see a movie. It's wide open. You have the screen. If it's a clear night, you'll have stars above you. Uh, and we're showing a league of their own. Oh, fun. Yeah, yeah. You know, I was uh I was talking with a group of high school students uh yesterday and I was telling them about this event, and then I realized none of them had been born, and possibly even their parents hadn't been born when that movie was made. But it's a really fun summer America movie. So, kids, if you were born after a league of their own was made, you should come and check it out with your parents.

Speaker 2 10:48

Yeah, it's a fun one. Yeah, and I'm assuming there'll still be some snacks around.

Speaker 1 10:51

Uh oh yeah, yeah. The food carts are staying all the way through.

Speaker 2 10:54

Okay.

Speaker 1 10:54

So you can come for lunch, you can come for dinner, you can come for late-night snack, um, or all the above.

Speaker 2 10:59

Okay. And in like a uh pop-up screen kind of thing, or yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 11:03

So we'll have kind of that typical pop-up screen the city does. So we've got a stage for all of the events during the day, and then the the the screen will come out uh at the end.

Speaker 2 11:12

And people will be sitting, I'm guessing, like sort of that open area there. Okay, yeah. Yeah. Well, that'll be fun.

Speaker 1 11:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2 11:18

Nice way to cap off the day.

Speaker 1 11:20

Exactly. And the weather should be great. I mean, knock on wood. I hope I'm not jinxing it, but at this point, it should be about 70 all day and I mean partly sunny. Ideal. It's perfect, which means it should also be a really nice night. Yeah.

Speaker 2 11:33

It sounds like it's shaping up a great day. Uh is there anything else that we're we're not uh that I'm missing here or we we should also mention. Oh, one thing I did see on on your schedule events is uh I'd be remiss to not mention it would be the one of a kind drumline.

Speaker 1 11:46

Yes.

Speaker 2 11:47

If you haven't seen it, it's a lot of fun to check out.

Speaker 1 11:49

Yeah, they are a great group. Um One of a Kind Drumline, and they are definitely one of a kind. Yeah. Uh they're super high energy. Outdoors is a great place for them. Uh, but uh they're really just um folks who've been practicing together and they put on a fantastic show. So we're gonna have them. We're also gonna have a couple of other bands on the stage throughout the day. Yeah. Um, we've got um uh during the day, uh like three to eight. Uh we're gonna have a balloon artist and a face painter there. So if the you know bring the kids down and they can they can have that that fun extra. Yes. Yeah. We can see a couple living history characters. Um, I believe we're going to have Uncle Sam, who granted is a fictional character, but he's still very important to our American uh identity. And uh and President Ulysses S. Grant will also be joining us. Wow. So he aged well then. Yes, yeah, he's still kicking around.

Speaker 2 12:46

Wow, that's amazing.

Speaker 1 12:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2 12:49

And you can interact with those folks, and uh will they remain in character if you do that? And and uh So far.

Speaker 1 12:55

And they've been at a few events with us so far, and they do get tested. So they're pretty good.

Speaker 2 13:00

I thought you were gonna say they do get testy. Well, you watch out.

Speaker 1 13:02

I mean maybe by the end of the day I would. That's why I'm not doing it.

Speaker 2 13:05

But uh yeah. So do they have like uh how far do they take it? Do they have like campfires and are they actually kind of uh making stuff or are they not?

Speaker 1 13:13

You know, they're gonna be hanging out under a tent and uh interacting in our present day environment.

Speaker 2 13:18

Okay, fair enough. No cell phones though, right? Hopefully not.

Speaker 1 13:22

You know, maybe we could like you know, catch them in the act.

Speaker 2 13:25

Yeah, okay. Well, um that's about all the time we have for today, unless there's uh anything else that we're missing here you'd like to throw in last second.

Speaker 1 13:32

You know, no, this is just fantastic. Thanks for for sharing this with folks. We'd love to see people come on down for any or all of all of the activities we have planned, especially that pet costume contest.

Speaker 2 13:44

Yes, enter those pets.

Speaker 1 13:46

Yeah, and uh and yeah, let's all celebrate together.

Speaker 2 13:48

Yeah, what a great anniversary it should be. Yeah. 250 years. Well, um, Temple, I want to thank you for joining us today and making time for this. Appreciate that. Please do celebrate America's 250th anniversary. If you want a schedule of activities for the July 3rd event in Vancouver, check out the trust website at thehistorictrust.org. Hope to see you all out there. Be sure to enter your pet in the costume contest.